Silicon Valley: India and the United States need to build a strong defence relationship on the lines of Non-Aligned Treaty Organisation (NATO), leading US Congressman Frank Pallone has said.

Pallone, who was in Silicon Valley for a fundraising event hosted by local activist and Kashmiri leader Jeevan Zutshi said, "I believe it is very difficult to develop a true close relationship with another country, unless there is a defence relationship.

"I honestly believe that we are going to see the day when there is going to be a formal defence treaty arrangement, maybe something like NATO. It could be a South Asian alliance, with India leading other countries of the region into some kind of formal military alliance with the United States," Pallone, co- founder of India Caucus said.

This, the Congressman said, did not mean that India had to give up its sovereignty or give up its position as a country that has always been at the forefront of the Non-Aligned Movement.

"I am very supportive of the fact that India has over the last couple of months said to President George W Bush that we are not going to send our forces to Iraq, unless you put this under the United Nations.

"India has to continue its role as a leader of non-aligned movement and also as a very important country within the UN and that doesn't preclude a close defence relationship with the United States."

PTI